Title: A Breath Of Life
Author: Adam
Rating: PG-13
Part: 1/?
Disclaimer: Tom and Harry belong to Paramount.
Summery: AN alternate reality fiction set late 1800‘s, early 1900‘s.
Warnings: None so far.Orders: ENJOY!
Beta‘d By Ren

Dedication: To Akira, for been sweet, and kind and even sweeter! Tom lifted the final hay-bale up onto the stack and wiped his arm across his brow, taking away the fast-appearing sweat.Tom was wearing only some rags around his waist, which were once his Sunday-trousers. His golden, chest hair was glistening with sweat, and he was reddened slightly from his day in the hot sun. "Hey Tommy!" Emily Marsden squealed, upon seeing the hunk of the town in a near-naked state.
 

Tom looked up at her and winked, causing her to steady herself on the rough-wood fence. Anne Summers stood beside the girl rolling her eyes at her friend‘s obsession. Though, she had to admit he was well proportioned. She began to take in Tom‘s obvious beauty. He was lean, and tall, muscled in the well places, and judging by the very well defined bulge in his overly tight shorts, he would be very pleasing in that department as well. Though she sighed as she came out of her daze. He never seemed interested in even the most-beautiful girls. Always hanging around with the other well-acclaimed hunk-of-the-village, James.

"EUGENE!" Screamed Owen Paris, from the household in the distance.

"There‘s more work to do in the house!"

"I‘m coming, father!" Tom shouted in answer.

"Come on Emily, I‘m sure Eugene here," She snickered at his given, middle name. "I‘m sure he has other things to be doing." "Have a good day Tommy." Emily said before heading away down the narrow lane, with Anne.

"You too, young Emily!" Tom said, his blue eyes sparking with mischief. Tom sighed at the monotony of his life. He knew everyone, could have almost anyone, yet no one there made his heart beat faster. Caused him to stutter his words, and no longer be the smooth-talker he had always been. No one who said, ‚what about your looks? I want YOU, for YOU!‘ Sighing one more time, Tom turned and headed back for the house, letting his hopeful dream, of one-day meeting his soul mate, in mind. (Five Minutes later, at the house)

"You‘ll give the animals their last feed and make sure the horses are secure. After that, there‘s some left-over‘s from supper in the cupboard." With that, Owen walked next to his son, giving Tom a smack across his face.

"That‘s for missing supper, young man!" Owen screamed, his anger flaring. Tom knew it was no use to tell his father, that he‘d told him to not show up until he‘d completed his other duties, but he knew it would only end in him getting hit more, so he remained silent.

"AND, this." Owen continued, slapping Tom once more across his beautiful, flawless face. "Is for looking like that!"

He looked up and down Tom‘s prone, shivering figure disgustingly. Tom‘s father bought him one set of clothes per year, and Tom had to make them last, if not he would probably go naked.

The only money he ever got was from the women he had on rare occasions, bedded down to buy himself a few drinks, as his father did not see fit to pay him.

(The Horse Stalls)

Tom checked over each horse thoroughly. The animals were Tom‘s only real, true friends. His favourite horse, a deep brown, Shire horse with a long black mane, was named Oliver.

"That‘s a good boy!" Tom said gently, stroking the thick mane of the gentle-giant.

"I‘ll take you out tomorrow, would you like that?" The horse rubbed his head against Tom‘s soothing hands in response, and Tom accepted that as a yes. "The rest of you guys will go out tomorrow as well. Be good guys..." Tom finished before checking on each other type of animal in the farm. His first stop the chickens followed by the swans that usually found a small crook to sleep in, by the lake. The Sheep all stayed together, and after a quick count Tom moved on.

They had two cows, Daisy and Sandy. They stayed together all the time and were both beautiful in Tom‘s eyes.

Tom couldn‘t say any-one animal was his favourite because he loved them all. He checked on the nine pigs they owned, and made sure to be extra special thorough to check Molly, the only Pig they had, which was pregnant at the moment.

After he was done, he gladly ate the scraps, which were left for him, and stripped. The tub outside the house was filled with ice-cold water, but Tom was used to it, though that was no reason to take his time, as he quickly cleaned the day‘s dirt from his perfect body.

There had been a very dumb blond who had been travelling across the country a few weeks back. Tom tried to remember her name...Stefan...Even...the name didn‘t matter.

Tom shook his head in dismissal. All he knew was that she‘d called his body, perfection, before she moved on.

He put on a long, torn shirt for bed, before he let sleep take him.

(Meanwhile, in London)

"I AM NOT GOING BACK TO THAT HICK VILLAGE, AGAIN!" Harry Kim shouted at his father.

"Harry, you need some fresh air from this life. It‘s only for a month…maybe two. You will be refreshed and clear-minded when you return." "I am not…" Harry trailed off, as he saw his fathers face. Harry‘s father was a very tolerant man, but Harry could see that his father was reaching his limits of patience.

"I‘ll go, but for two weeks!" Harry said, with no offer of debate in his voice.

"We‘ll see son, you may like it there?" His father said, knowingly.

"Yeah right. I‘m going to pack!"

With that, Harry exited the room. He had to leave in 6 hours and wanted to be ready. The sooner he got there the sooner he could get back. Were Harry‘s exact thoughts.

Once packed, Harry changed into his silk nightclothes.The lining was gold-thread. They were a present from his father after he made his first deal.

(Early the next Day, Inner City)

Harry was up early this morning. His coach was already packed, and he was dressed in his best, and ready to go.

Kissing his mother goodbye, and giving his father a rather unmanly hug, he left the house and his coach set off for ‚Hick Central‘, as Harry liked to call it.

He could smell the uniquely rural, smell already, and was not happy about it.

Although, deep down, he did have some kind of connection with animals which he had always ignored. Something that made animals come to him, even though he‘s shun them away.

Tom awoke to a punch in his mid-section.

"YOU LAZY, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING…" The continuos verbal abuse continued, which Tom had leaned to effectively block out over the years. "You were supposed to be up and out over 10 minutes ago! If you want to continue to live under MY roof, you will do your share!" His father continued to go on.

Tom wanted to leave…desperately, but the truth was, he had no -where to go, and no money. His father had effectively trapped him. Tom didn‘t bother to get sad about his situation; merely shrugging his shoulders, and going to his animals which he had promised things to. It didn‘t matter that they were animals.

The promise he had made only meant more because of it.

TBC